Cambridge House

Cambridge House stands on Piccadilly in Mayfair, a Grade I listed townhouse built between 1756 and 1761 for Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont. It was later home to George Cholmondeley, 1st Marquess of Cholmondeley, and then Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge, Queen Victoria’s uncle. The house was also the London residence of Prime Minister Henry Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston, who hosted political gatherings there. From 1865 to 1999 it served as the Naval and Military Club, nicknamed the ‘In and Out’ for its one-way carriage drive. Members included T. E. Lawrence and Ian Fleming. The building fell into disrepair after the club left in 1999, with damaged ceilings and missing floorboards. It was later bought by David and Simon Reuben, who are now converting it into a luxury hotel and seven residences. The house is notable for its late Palladian design by architect Matthew Brettingham, with three main storeys plus basement and attics. The first floor, or piano nobile, contains reception rooms with the highest ceilings and a central Venetian window. In 1850 Robert Pate struck Queen Victoria with his cane as she left the house after visiting her dying uncle. Palmerston died at Brocket Hall but his body was taken to Cambridge House before his funeral procession to Westminster Abbey. The Naval and Military Club’s signs gave the building its nickname, and its members included figures like Lawrence of Arabia. Visitors today will find the grand townhouse being restored to its former elegance, with plans for a five-star hotel and seven serviced residences. The exterior still reflects its 18th-century Palladian style, while the first floor’s reception rooms once hosted high-society gatherings. The forecourt, once used for the club’s one-way drive, is being redeveloped as part of the project. The surrounding Piccadilly area remains one of London’s most fashionable districts. The building’s history is visible in its architecture and the stories of its former occupants.